Two R3 matches to be held on Thursday Oct 25th: FC Saarbrucken Tischtennis – Rosklide Bordtennis BTK61 (18:30) Stella Sport La Romagne – K.S. Dekorglass Dzialdowo (19:30 CET)
Two matches in Germany and France will open Round 3 of the 2018/19 European Table Tennis Champions League this Thursday (Oct 25th) while other six encounters are scheduled for Friday including Group d clash between four-times winner Fakel Gazprom Oreburg and 2016 runner-up Eslovs Ai Bordtennis. The opening day is reserved for FC Saarbrucken Tischtennis – Rosklide Bordtennis BTK61 (18:30) Stella Sport La Romagne – K.S. Dekorglass Dzialdowo (19:30 CET).
This round should be special one for Czech Republic’s Tomas POLANSKY actual European Under 21 Championships who is ready for his comeback after long absence caused by shoulder surgery.
„Of course it’s going to be a pretty hard match for us. Roskilde is a strong team but I believe that we will give our best and win that game. I feel actually good about my first match in second Bundesliga after the long injury and I believe that it’s gonna be better and better“ stated one of Saarbrucken’s rising stars 20-year-old Tomas POLANSKY who beat his teammate Cristian PLETEA of Romania in the U-21 ECH gold medal contest.
German side has 1-1 win-loss record while Rosklide hasn’t victory so far. ZHAI Yujia hopes it will be changed in the upcoming game: “I like to play this Champions League and hope to help Roskilde win matches”. Team manager of Danish club Allan BENTSEN stated:
“We and Roskilde look forward to playing one more round in the Champions League. We hope that our trip to Saarbrücken will give us a good result. We will play with the same team as in the first two matches in Angers last round we were close to make a good result.”
Other Group C game will see duel between Vaillante Sports Angers TT (1-1 win-loss record) and K.S. Dartom Bogoria Grodzisk Mazowiecki (2-0). Host side manager Eric GAUTRET explains why this season offers a better chances for his team:
“This season the draw was quite favorable since avoided the two Russians clubs and the reigning champion Düsseldorf. In the first round we lost to Saarbrücken even if the result is severe. We beat Roskilde in the second round and now we play Bogoria two times to follow. Even if they are rather favorites against us we hope to make a good result at home before the rematch. Our good start to the season allows to be optimistic”.
Reigning TTCLM champion Borussia Dusseldorf is determined to improve its win-loss record to 3-0 facing at home TTC Ostrava 2016 (0-2) while other Group A game could decide the battle for the second place and quarter-final spot as last year’s semi-finalist Sporting Clube de Portugal (1-1) hosts former double TTCLM winner AS Pontoise Cergy (1-1).
“We will not underestimate Ostrava even though it is the supposedly lightest opponent in our group a win on Friday is mandatory” stated Borussia’s manager Andreas PREUSS.
Sporting beat twice Pontoise last year but president of French club Louise ADAM hopes that her team will be better this time:
“We are again in the group of Lisbon which is a difficult team and this group is again also complicated! Last season we met them already and our two face-to-face turned in their favor. However we are confident and our young team goes to Lisbon with the best intentions.”
Last two winners of the ETTU Cup Men will play one against another in Group B: the 2016/17 winner Stella Sport La Romagne (1-1) and 2017/18 champion K.S. Dekorglass Dzialdowo (1-1). Likewise this encounter could shape the top of this group like in case of Sporting and Pontoise. The 2011/12 runner-up TTSC UMMC (2-0) targets its third win in a row against Austria’s SPG Walter Wels (0-2).
“For this third round we receive the Polish team of Dzialdowo. This is already an important match for the qualification for the quarter-finals. The victorious team will take a serious advantage over the other. We are very excited to play this game” stressed Stella Sport coach Fabrice COUTOLLEAU.
Former four-time TTCLM winner Fakel Gazprom Orenburg (2-0) is considered as a huge favourite playing its Group D game against 2016 runner-up Eslovs (1-1) while Post SV Mühlhausen (1-1) faces GV Hennebont TT (0-2) in the clash where both sides have no right for mistake. Actual individual European Championships runner-up Ovidiu IONESCU promises big fight:
„We are looking forward for our next TTCLM-match. Hennebont is a strong team but we believe in our chances. After last week win against Eslövs we will give our best and make the people in Kristanplatz celebrate one more victory together.“
Teammate of Romanian player Steffen MENGEL added:
„We are very happy with our first win against Eslövs. Now we are looking forward to play against the next top-team in front of our fantastic supporters. Our goal is to make the next step on friday to hopefully cause a surprise.“
Orenburg’s coach Vladimir ENDOLOV is looking forward meeting young team from Sweden:
“We will play with a young and promising Swedish team Eslovs AI BTK in the 3d Round. In my opinion this team is ready to fight with any club-participants of the TTCLM. Our team arrived to Orenburg in full force. All the players practice hard and will try to do everything to win the upcoming match and strengthen their leadership in the group. I am sure that many fans and supporters will see table tennis of the highest level.”
TTCLM Round 3
GROUP A
Borussia Dusseldorf – TTC Ostrava 2016 (Oct 26th 18:30 CET)
Sporting Clube de Portugal – AS Pontoise Cergy (Oct 26th 20:00 CET)
GROUP B
Stella Sport La Romagne – K.S. Dekorglass Dzialdowo (Oct 25th 19:30 CET)
TTSC UMMC – SPG Walter Wels (Oct 26th 16:00 CET)
GROUP C
FC Saarbrucken Tischtennis – Rosklide Bordtennis BTK61 (Oct 25th 18:30 CET)
Vaillante Sports Angers TT – K.S. Dartom Bogoria Grodzisk Mazowiecki (Oct 26th 19:30 CET)
GROUP D
TTC Fakel Gazprom – Eslovs Ai Bordtennis (Oct 26th 14:00 CET)
Post SV Muhlhausen – G. V. Hennebont T.T. (Oct 26th 19:00 CET)
